Equipment
What to buy first for a small coffee shop
Square identifies three core equipment categories for a small coffee shop: an espresso machine and espresso grinder, a regular coffee grinder, and a coffee brewer. Fit Small Business puts a common equipment budget range at $10,000–$30,000.
Priority equipment list
Example line items from WebstaurantStore, organized by what a new shop needs first.
| Item | Example price | Source | Priority tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-group automatic espresso machine | $2,899 | WebstaurantStore | Essential |
| Commercial espresso grinder | $599 | WebstaurantStore | Essential |
| Commercial bulk coffee grinder | $1,349 | WebstaurantStore | High priority |
| 12-cup pourover brewer | $500 | WebstaurantStore | High priority |
| Single-gallon brewer | $1,307 | WebstaurantStore | Standard |
Prices are example list prices from WebstaurantStore as of September 2026 and may vary by model, vendor, and location.
Brewer options: automated vs. manual pour over
Square notes that a coffee shop may use either an automated coffee brewer or a manual pour over, depending on its needs. An automated brewer is faster and more consistent for high-volume service, while a manual pour over gives more control over each cup and can support a specialty-coffee positioning. Many small shops start with an automated brewer for speed and add pour over as a slower, higher-margin option once the team is trained.
How equipment fits into startup costs
Equipment is one of the largest controllable line items in a coffee shop budget.
The $10,000–$30,000 equipment budget from Fit Small Business sits inside a much wider total startup range. Fit Small Business estimates total startup costs from $10,000 to over $250,000, while Toast cites $80,000–$300,000 and WebstaurantStore cites $100,000 to over $600,000. The spread reflects differences in build-out condition, square footage, city, and whether the space is leased or newly constructed.
For a new shop, the practical order is to buy the equipment that directly produces revenue first: an espresso machine and espresso grinder, a regular coffee grinder, and a coffee brewer. The five example items above total $6,654, leaving room in the $10,000–$30,000 range for refrigeration, a point-of-sale system, smallwares, water filtration, and installation. If the budget is tight, a single-gallon brewer can be added later; the espresso setup and a reliable grinder are the hardest to operate without.
Because equipment is a one-time capital cost, it is usually financed or leased rather than paid from operating cash. When planning, keep equipment separate from working capital: the SBA recommends counting at least one year of monthly expenses as startup capital, which covers rent, payroll, and inventory while the shop builds its customer base.